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Abundant Life in the Son: A Study of Salvation

The Degrees of Faith

A living relationship with Jesus Christ will produce the desire to
grow in faith. Observe the response of the twelve disciples to Jesus’
instruction concerning forgiveness: “Increase our faith!” (Luke 17:5).
The Twelve realized that to have divine love and compassion, they
needed an enlarged spiritual
capacity—greater faith to do what
Jesus commanded. Faith grows and
A living relationship develops. For this reason, we can

with Jesus Christ will speak of degrees of faith.

produce the desire When writing to the church at

to grow in faith. Corinth, Paul expressed hope that
the faith of the people would grow
so that God might be able to do a
much greater work among them
(2 Corinthians 10:16). In his first letter to the Thessalonians, he prayed
for an opportunity to minister to them again to supply what was lacking
in their faith (1 Thessalonians 3:9–10). Their faith was then in its infancy,
but it needed to grow and mature as they faced fierce and determined
opposition. By the time Paul wrote his second letter to them, he was
able to thank God because their faith was growing more and more
(2 Thessalonians 1:3).

Often we are involved in situations that demand greater faith than
we have. But as we walk with the Lord in obedience and love, our
relationship will grow and our faith will increase. Consistent, earnest
prayer and communion with Him will bring greater faith and the answers
to seemingly impossible situations (Mark 9:29). May our prayers have the
intensity of the needy father who said, “I do believe; help me overcome
my unbelief” (Mark 9:24). Faith is living and dynamic—living faith grows.

Having little faith is a characteristic of spiritual infants, but God
expects us to advance on to greater faith and spiritual maturity. Little
faith keeps us spiritually ineffective and unable to carry on Christ’s
work. Little faith allows us to doubt.

On only two occasions did Jesus praise great faith. In the first case, the
Roman centurion believed that the authority of the word of Jesus would

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